


My Armoury

by Sparky_Young_Upstart



Series: Shelby the Vampire Slayer [2]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Vampire Slayer, Gen, Patrol, Vampire Slayer(s), Vampires, Watchers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-11 16:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5633023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sparky_Young_Upstart/pseuds/Sparky_Young_Upstart
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A week after learning of her powers, Shelby goes on patrol with Kendall by her side, hoping to prove that she has what it takes. In a flashback, she and Riley retreat to Kendall's museum and regroup, unaware that the night's terrors have only just begun.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to the Club

“I’m not riding on that.”

“What’s wrong with my bike?”

“You cannot call that a bike.”

Riley sat astride his little green moped holding a helmet out to Shelby. “It’s a lot easier to maneuver in this than it is in your jeep. And it can go between tombstones.”

Shelby grumbled, but she took the helmet and sat down behind him anyways. “You realize this is, like, the gayest vehicle you could have picked, right?”

Riley grinned. “Why do you think I picked it?”

The route from Shelby’s house to the cemetery was fairly devoid of traffic, especially after dark on a school night. Everyone was either staying in or had already reached the out they were headed towards. At least, that was what Shelby hoped. Lord knows what onlookers would think of her and Riley scooting secretly into a graveyard after dark.

Kendall was there waiting for them, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. Once Shelby andRiley stepped off she stormed up to them. “Sunset was an hour and a half ago!” she snapped.

Shelby sighed. “I told you when I texted you, I had math homework.” She pulled off the pack from her back. “Just be happy I brought everything you wanted me to.” She unzipped it and began unloading an assortment of items. “Wooden stake, crossbow, garlic, crucifix - the works.”

Kendall nodded. “Well, at least that’s sorted.” She looked up at Riley. “What about you? What do you have to offer?”

Riley searched for the words. “Uh...my strategic mind and boyish good looks?”

Kendall muttered under her breath, but Shelby held up a hand before the Watcher could say anything further. “You said I could bring him.”

“Good grief,” Kendall replied, but she began walking into the cemetery and motioned for the two teens to follow her nonetheless.

* * *

_“You just expect me to hunt vampires now?!” Shelby cried._

_Kendall slammed the book she was holding down on the counter, making Shelby and Riley jump. “Not just me. Everyone. The Watcher’s Council, the world - humanity itself is depending on you.”_

_Shelby was fuming. “You’d think this Council would be clever enough to make spares just in case I said no. Or waited until I graduated high school. Or at least told me beforehand so I wouldn’t have to impale new acquaintances!”_

_Kendall pushed her glasses up. “What happened to the boy in the park is a tragedy, but he was dead before you reached him. That vampire, and all vampires, are just demons that look like people. They only retain the minimum amount of personality they had before - everything else is replaced by evil and darkness.”_

_As Shelby and Kendall butted heads, Kendall’s assistant Koda approached Riley, who was still shuddering in a corner. “You okay?” he asked._

_Riley turned to look at the man. He had on a friendly smile and was holding a box of cookies. Riley slowly nodded. “Yeah. I - I think so.”_

_Koda nodded, then held out the box. “Cookie? They help with...fear.”_

_Riley raised an eyebrow at the man’s somewhat-broken english, but assumed that he was still learning. He did accept the cookie, however. “So you’re used to all this...vampire business?”_

_Koda shrugged. “Little bit. I help Kendall in museum, but she don’t like me to fight. I not Slayer.”_

_Kendall, meanwhile, was trying to comfort Shelby, who had retreated to a bench and was trying not to hyperventilate. “I understand if you need time to sort this out. But one way or another you have been called, and no matter how much you don’t want to do this, darkness will find you.” She sat down beside Shelby. “You can do this. Being a Slayer can be a gift. You’re stronger now, faster. You’ve become part of a legacy of powerful women stretching back eons.”_

_But she could tell it wasn’t all getting through. So she stood up and began walking away. “I’ll leave you two a moment alone. If you need me I’ll be upstairs, and if you decide to leave...I recommend against that, but please tell me if you do.” She nodded at Koda, who gave Riley the cookies and followed his boss out._

_Once they were gone Shelby couldn’t help it. The shock of everything had managed to keep a lid on her emotions for most of the night, but as soon as Kendall was gone the tears began to run. Riley was there in a flash and they were holding each other, letting everything out, and dreading whatever came next for them._


	2. What's at Stake

“So where’s Koda?” Shelby asked as the three of them wandered through the cemetery, Kendall waving a flashlight back and forth to spot any undead movement.

“Koda doesn’t like to come on patrol. Plus we need somebody to keep an eye on the museum.” Kendall replied.

“Makes sense,” Riley replied as he looked out into the distance to try and spot something - anything - dangerous. “What with how many weapons you’ve got stashed in there, the last thing we’d want is a bunch of vampires breaking in and raiding it.”

Shelby was examining the firing mechanism of the crossbow. “Did you really get all these weapons ready for me?” she asked curiously.

Kendall shrugged. “I was told to be prepared for whatever slayer appeared in Amber Beach. And...well, it doesn’t help to be well armed when you’re sitting on top of a Hellmouth.

“You mentioned that before,” Shelby said. “What exactly is a Hellmouth?”

“Short version? Exactly what it sounds like.” She swept the light to the side when she thought she saw something, but all that crossed her vision was a rabbit. “It’s a portal leading directly to the hell dimensions. A focal point drawing all supernatural energy and events towards it.” Kendall turned to Shelby and saw her still fiddling with her weapon. “Stop that, you’re going to set it off wrong.”

“I’m fine!” Shelby snapped as she accidentally launched a bolt into the woods. The three watched it whistle through the air and impale a tree in the distance.

“Smooth,” Riley snarked. Shelby shook the crossbow threateningly in his direction.

“So, big demon magnet,” she replied. “Wait, does the slayer count as a supernatural event?”

Kendall nodded. “Almost every Hellmouth has drawn a slayer or a potential towards it. Guardians - first lines of defence in case it starts to open.”

Shelby stopped in her tracks. “Wait. All of this stuff - vampires and demons and slayers - they’re all around a _closed_ Hellmouth?”

Kendall nodded slowly, and Shelby began to wonder what the hell she would have to deal with if it opened.

* * *

_“It’s a door,” Kendall had explained to Koda. “You understand doors, right?”_

_Koda paused, then nodded. “Yes. Doors open and close.” He smiled, and Kendall smiled back - positive reenforcement was doing wonders with helping him learn English._

_“Exactly! But this door has to stay closed. There are monsters on the other side of the door, and if too many of them come through at once then even a slayer will have trouble defeating them.”_

_Koda frowned. “But slayer...Shelby. Shelby say that she don’t want fight monsters. Say she too scared. Why not Shelby stay here and protect weapons, and I fight demons?”_

_Kendall sighed. “Koda, I’m glad you’re so eager to help. And yes, you’re very strong and you have helped me many times taking down a vampire or two. But if you were made to fight something stronger than you, well, bad things would happen. Remember?”_

_Koda frowned. He did remember. He had fought a bigger demon when he and Kendall first met, and after he was hit too many times he started to hurt all over and blacked out. Kendall’s own mentor had to take down the demon himself to save them. Ever since, Kendall didn’t like Koda getting into fights._

_“She can do it,” Kendall said, snapping Koda back to the present. “Shelby might be scared, but that fear will fade and she’ll realize the importance of being the slayer.”_ She has to _, Kendall added in her head,_ or we’re all doomed.


	3. Don't Be so Cross

“Wait! I think I see something!”

Shelby and crew ducked behind a tombstone, and carefully peeked out from behind it. Sure enough, there was somebody clawing their way out of a grave. An middle aged man, with a grotesque fanged visage that Shelby immediately recognized as a vampire. As it stood to its full height, it began looking around, sniffing for it’s first meal as a monster.

“Can it smell us?” Shelby asked.

Kendall nodded. “Yes, but it’s new. It may not be used to it’s abilities yet.” She stepped to the side. “As long as we keep quiet, we may be able to sneak up on it.”

So obviously this was when Riley’s brother decided to call him on his phone.

The ringing echoed through the graveyard and the new vamp snapped his head in the group’s direction. Shelby and Kendall had enough time to give Riley a death glare before the vampire charged.

* * *

_“Hey mom, it’s me. I’m sorry I’m out late. I..._

_I met up with some friends and we were actually having a lot of fun! And...well, one thing led to another and we kind of ended up at the museum? I know that’s weird but don’t freak, we weren’t drinking or anything. Apparently Riley knows the curator and we just sort of started hanging out.”_

_Riley made a move to say something, but Shelby motioned with her hand for him to shush as she kept going. “Anyway, time kind of got away from us...obviously. I’m sorry I didn’t respond to any of your texts and now, well, obviously now I’m calling too late for you to answer because you and dad are probably in bed by now._

_I’m...I’m really sorry about it. I know it’s my first time out in Amber Beach and I really should have at least tried to stay in contact, but I promise that it won’t happen again. I’ll try to be home in an hour or so.”_

* * *

“Hey, Matt! No, it’s fine, what about you?”

As Riley stood to the side talking to his brother, Shelby and Kendall fought the vampire. They had pretty quickly realized that Riley was only going to get in the way, so Shelby had shoved him to the side as she pulled the stake out from her backpack and was trying viciously to stab the vampire in his heart. Kendall, meanwhile, was running between tombstones trying to evade the vamp’s clawing hands while she fumbled with the crossbow, not seeing the tree root in her path.

“Shelby’s a bit busy with a...guy...” Riley replied when his brother asked him how everyone was going. “Kendall? Oh, she’s fine. She’s - ” Kendall went down, accidentally pulling the trigger, adn Riley ducked out of the way as the wayward bolt slammed into the tree he had been standing near. “She’s playing darts. Yeah.”

As the vamp charged at Shelby again, she remembered another weapon and whipped the crucifix out from her back pocket. The vampire hissed and shielded his eyes, leaving his stomach exposed. Shelby slammed a punch in the vampire’s gut, and he stumbled backwards. Slowly but surely she was getting better at this whole fighting thing, and the power that came with being a slayer certainly helped. As the vampire struggled to stand, Shelby tossed the stake in her hand like a javelin and landed a direct bullseye on his heart. With one last growl he crumbled to dust.

Kendall picked herself up from where she had fallen, grabbing the crossbow and stuffing it back in the backpack. “You know what? I think this is the problem. No more crossbows for a while.”

Riley said a few last words to his brother, then hung up. “Sorry about that, guys.”

Shelby stormed over to him, snatched the phone from his hands, and turned the mute button on. “From now on, patrols are vibrate only.” Then she pulled out her own phone. “Though, that does remind me that I should text my mom to let her know everything’s fine. What kind of emoji properly represents ‘I’m not being eaten’?”

* * *

_“So...this is it?” Riley asked._

_Shelby shrugged. “How am I supposed to do this, Riley? Like, really.” She climbed up the stairs, and Riley followed after her. Kendall had been sitting pensively on a bench, but she stood at attention as soon as Shelby came into view._

_“Have you -”_

_“Yes, and no, I’m not doing it,” Shelby replied curtly. “Why anyone thought I had this kind of potential is beyond me, but they were wrong. Now if you excuse me I need to get home. Mom might be worried about me being late, but it’s better than being worried about me being dead.”_

_Kendall wrung her hands. “I...I don’t think that’s going to work right now.” She glanced towards the entrance, and as Riley followed her gaze he visibly paled. Shelby, however, was focused on the curator._

_“What? What other argument could you possibly think of that would convince me to risk my life fighting undead monsters?”_

_Kendall just nodded towards the doors. Shelby turned, and as soon as she did she wished she hadn’t._


	4. On the Razor's Edge

“Where there’s one vampire, there could always be more.” That was what Kendall had said after they offed the first one, but neither of them were expecting what was waiting for them in the graveyard. The first vampire had been a lone beast, but as the crew went in deeper they started hearing voices growing louder and closer.

“- digs me up and tells me to follow him.”

“Yeah! Me too! What’s he planning?”

Shelby, Kendall, and Riley all hid behind a tree and carefully spied the scene before them. They had reached a central area of the cemetery, one with several mausoleums and large tombstones. A group of five or six vampires was lounging around one of the tombstones, chatting casually as if they were old friends. A few feet away from them, somebody was digging into a grave with a shovel.

“Somebody’s digging them up?” Shelby wondered.

Kendall shrugged. “Maybe. Sometimes sires like taking the vampires they make under their wing. Make themselves a whole coven.”

Another vampire crawled out of the grave, followed shortly by the person who had dug it up. Riley raised an eyebrow when he saw it. “That...does not look like a vampire.”

The man was pale blue, for starters, as if he had been frozen to death. He was also covered in patchy metal armour, and upon closer look it appeared that some of it had been welded into his body. Even his jaw had been replaced by a steel scrap. “He looks like some kind of cyborg!” Shelby exclaimed.

Kendall furrowed her brow. “That’s bizarre. Maybe it’s a different kind of demon, or some kind of homunculus.”

The metal creature started speaking. “Hello new vampires. My name is Wrench, and I have brought you here tonight so that you may serve my mighty master Sledge.”

“Why should we do that?” one of them snapped. “Why can’t I just have a nice night maiming and drinking people?”

Wrench glared at the vamp. “Because, if it weren’t for Sledge then you wouldn’t even _be_ here. Him and his army are responsible for most of the vampires in this dumb city.”

“He’s got an army?” Shelby whispered. “We have to find this guy and take him out.”

“How?” Riley asked. “We don’t even know where this guy is.”

The vampires were still talking. “But what are the benefits of this army?” another asked. “I don’t mean to be forward, but I was a lawyer when I was alive. I’d like to know the fine print of what I’m being offered.”

Wrench rolled his eyes. “What you’re being offered is the chance to make this city Hell on Earth! To bring humanity to it’s knees and burn them in the fires of the Hellmouth!”

“Yes, but why can’t we do that on our own? I feel like there isn’t any communication going on here. Could we speak to this Mr. Sledge before we decide?”

Somehow, Wrench was able to frown despite the iron jaw. “Not in person, but he gave me a message for anyone with doubts.” He swung the shovel and sliced the lawyer vamp’s head clean off, causing the body to poof into dust. “Any other questions?”

A young female vampire raised her head. “Hi. Yeah, sorry, I just wanted to say that there are three humans over there who’ve been watching us for, like, a while. Can we eat them?”

Shelby and her friends froze as Wrench’s eyes found them. “Oh poop,” he said, “it’s the Slayer. Yes, by all means, eat them.”

The vampires smiled and began running at the trio. Shelby breathed in. “Alright. Showtime.” She grabbed a stake in each hand and charged.

* * *

_There were vampires crowded all around the museum entrance. Some of them clawed at the doors, but most of them just stood there and stared._

_“Why aren’t they coming in?” Riley asked._

_“Vampires polite,” replied Koda. “Don’t come in to eat you without invitation.”_

_Shelby was trying not to start hyperventilating. “Good to know. Can’t we use a different exit?”_

_Kendall shook her head. “I already checked. They’re standing by every door. They’re hoping to wait us out.”_

_Shelby shuddered. “Can’t we wait until sunrise?”_

_Kendall turned to face her. “We could, maybe. But your mom knows your here. What happens if she has the police come here? Or what if she comes here herself?”_

_Shelby gulped. The only thing that could make this night worse is if her mother somehow got mixed up in it. And those creatures? They would tear her apart in an instant._

_They’d tear Riley apart, too. And Kendall, even if she did have loads of weapons in the basement. Maybe Koda could take a few, but he wasn’t going to last long. Nobody in town could handle a horde like that._

_Except for Shelby._

_“I’ll fight,” Shelby whispered. Then louder. “I’ll fight. If this is what’s going to happen to me - if I can’t even take two steps without stepping into vampire business, then what choice do I have?”_

_Kendall walked over and put comforting hands on her arms. “You always had a choice. But thank you. And trust me, you will be fine. You are a weapon designed to destroy these demons. You are stronger than they could ever hope to be.”_

_Shelby nodded. “Okay. But I am going to need something other than my fists.” She turned to Riley. “Hey. We’re gonna need some stakes.”_


	5. Hit Me with your Best Shot

_Riley scrambled up the stairs with a bundle of wooden stakes in his arms, and handed them off to Kendall. Shelby grabbed one and carefully swung it to and fro, spinning it in her hand. “You sure you can use that thing?” Riley asked._

_Shelby nodded. “I thin so. It’s all...instinct.”_

_Koda had been watching the vampires outside. “I think more now.”_

_Kendall grimaced. “Okay. We might have something that can get rid of them all at once, but I’m gonna need your help.” She motioned towards Riley. “Take him and go to the control room in my office.”_

_Koda nodded and quickly walked over to Riley. “Come with me. We help fight vampires.”_

_Riley hesitantly nodded. “O...kay. Not sure how, but if I can help I guess I will.” The two ran off._

_Shelby approached Ms. Morgan. “I know I’m in, but I should probably point out that I’ve only ever fought one vampire - and he was on his own. Any tips on fighting the horde?”_

_“Try not to get flanked. If you see them trying to surround you then get out of there. Being the Slayer gives you astounding physical capabilities, so it’s best if you use them to stay out of range of them.” She held up the stakes. “If you don’t pull the stake out before the vampire dusts then you’ll lose it, so stick with quick strikes. In and out.”_

_Shelby nodded. “Okay. And if all that fails?”_

_Kendall sighed. “If all that fails then Koda and I have been working on a secret weapon. I don’t like using it because it takes forever to charge, but I think the situation calls for it.”_

_One of the vampires slammed on the window beside the door. “Hey Slayer!” she shouted. “I thought we were gonna tussle!”_

_Shelby’s grip on the stakes tightened. “Well, you asked for it.”_

_She didn’t hestitate this time, running full tilt at the entrance. The automatic doors were hanging open thanks to the vamps, but still barred them from entry. Shelby, however, was free to flip through the opening and skewer the vampire in front of her in a single stroke._

_She didn’t wait to see it go down, as the other demons were trying to close around her. She backhanded the one closest to her in the face and slammed the second stake through his heart, and used the distraction to tackle another to the ground. Her hissing was silenced as Shelby dusted her as well._ In and out, in and out, _Shelby kept repeating in her head._

_Something grabbed her neck from behind. She let out a strangled cry and tried to flail her arm back to reach the demon. When that failed she kicked them, and managed to land it in his groin. “Good to know you still have an off button,” she said with a smirk before dusting him._

_But now she was surrounded. The horde looked at her, grinning maniacally as they bared their teeth, each of them wondering who would be the first to pounce. Shelby’s brief bout of confidence was beginning to waver. She had taken out four vamps, but there were still twenty or so nearby. Could she even get out?_

_Kendall had been watching from inside. She had hoped that Shelby would be able to finish them off, but it had been too much to ask of the girl. And she wasn’t about to let a brand new slayer be killed her first night on the job._

_“Koda! Riley!” she shouted. “Do it! Do it_ now _!”_

_The floodlights outside suddenly lit up. They were bright, brighter than anything Shelby had ever seen. The vampires, who had previously been itching to eat her, suddenly cried out in pain and tried to run away. Some of them didn’t make it, burning to ash as they fled the scene. In a few seconds, the light faded, but by then the horde had been scared off._

_Shelby took a few deep breaths as she struggled to her feet. She could here Riley and Koda cheering as they ran outside._

_“You were awesome!” Riley shouted, pulling her into a hug. They felt Koda wrap his arms around the both of them and squeeze them both with affection._

_“You very good Slayer, Shelby.”_

_Shelby managed to smile. “Thanks. What was that, though?”_

_“Ultra-violet solar lamps,” Kendall said as she walked out to join them. “Charged directly by the sun’s rays. Unfortunately they’re a last-resort kind of thing, and it will take a while for them to be charged up enough to be useful again.” She squeezed Shelby’s shoulder. “You did good tonight. Of course, we will have to start training you as soon as we can...” Kendall paused as she saw the look of exhaustion on Shelby’s face. “But that can wait until tomorrow. You should probably head back home.”_

* * *

Shelby had fought a horde before - but, not really. When the vamps attacked the museum it was the solar lamps that had chased them away. So this squad of vampires, which seemed to be bigger than she had expected, where giving her some trouble. And to make matters worse, Wrench was there swinging his shovel around too.

“Don’t interfere, Slayer!” he snapped as she dodged a swing of his shovel and slammed a stake into the nearest vamp. “You’re just going to delay the inevitable!”

“Or!” Shelby piped up as she shoved two vamps out of her way, “I could just go after you and make it evitable!” She brandished her stake and started running towards him.

Wrench shrieked with terror and began flailing the shovel wildly. It wasn’t exactly quality combat, but it was enough to keep Shelby from safely attacking, and forced her to deal with the vampires approaching from behind. One of them managed to attack her arms, the shock causing Shelby to drop her weapons. It was the vampire that had spotted them in the first place. “I’m gonna enjoy tasting your blood,” she whispered at Shelby as she bared her fangs.

Shelby heard the twang of the crossbow and saw the bolt arc through the air. It missed the vampire, but embedded itself near Shelby’s head. “Taste this,” Shelby said as she snapped the bolt in two and stabbed the vampire with the sharp end. The vampire moaned as she fell to ash, leaving only two other demons standing there. They exchanged a look of fear before running off.

“Oh no you don’t,” Shelby said as she grabbed the stakes from where they fell. Sizing up the targets, she threw the stakes and watched wit satisfaction as they spun through the air and speared through their targets.

Riley pumped his fist in celebration as Kendall smiled and put away the crossbow. The two approached Shelby, but she was still surveying the area. “Where’d the other guy go?” she aske when they were close enough.

Kendall and Riley looked around, but the three of them seemed to be the only ones left in the graveyard now. “The metal guy?” Riley wondered. “I didn’t see him. He must’ve left during the confusion of the fight.”

Shelby shook her head. “Damn. He kept saying something about ‘delaying the inevitable’ and his master. Any idea what it means?” She turned to Kendall, but the Watcher’s expression showed that she didn’t have any clue.

“Sorry, I wish I could tell you. All I can guess is that there’s something going on here that’s bigger than any of us.”

* * *

Beneath Amber Beach, there is a network of intricate cave systems. It’s easy to get lost down there if you don’t know the way, but Wrench new it like the back of his synthetic cast-iron hand. He stumbled through blind tunnels until he came upon a large cavern lit by candles and torches. A large throne sat in the centre of the room, and Wrench through himself at the feet of the being that sat there.

“Master Sledge!” he grovelled, “I tried to get more vampires, but the Slayer attacked!”

The figure moved. It seemed ancient, millions of years old, with armour covering its body and a steel mask covering its face. “The slayer?” he growled. “I thought we were taking care of her?”

“I thought I could, but she was strong!”

Sledge snarled and grabbed Wrench by the throat. “Strong? She’s the slayer, nitwit! That’s the whole point! But what I can’t see is the point of having a worthless homunculus like _you_ running around doing my bidding if you can’t even bring me a single vampire!”

The sound of footsteps echoed through the cavern as another figure entered. “Oh Sledge-ums, put the thing down. He’s just a homunculus, he has no idea what he’s even doing.”

Sledge turned to the new figure. “Poisandra, darling. I didn’t meant to interrupt your beauty treatments.”

Poisandra flourished a hand over her hair, which had been dyed hot pink and done up in a heart-shape. “Do you like it? I wanted a new look for a new town, but I wanted to do something retro, to. What do you think, Wrench?”

Wrench flailed, his throat still in Sledge’s hands. “It looks positively lovely, miss Poisandra!”

Poisandra smiled. “Of course it does. Being this pretty is a lot of work. Now, about that Slayer.” She walked seductively towards Sledge. “I think we should start using some of your more...interesting servants, dear.”

“What a wonderful idea, my love.” He dropped Wrench to the ground. “Wrench! Make yourself useful and bring me a demon!” Wrench nodded and scrambled away through the catacombs. Sledge turned lovingly to Poisandra. “And soon, once that Slayer is finished, we will find the Blood Gem and bring Hell to Earth.”


End file.
